Letter: Obamacare has its plus sides

To the editor

Updated 11:14 pm, Sunday, March 17, 2013

A recent letter by Robert Jones is typical of the knee-jerk attacks against the Affordable Care Act, which ignore the overwhelmingly positive aspects of the law ("Health care act will only create burdens," March 2).

The small businesses Mr. Jones mentions are eligible for tax credits that cover up to roughly a third of the cost of their employee premiums, helping to retain good workers. And, starting Jan. 1, small businesses (and consumers) will be able to enroll in the new state "exchange," enjoying substantial savings and easing the process of selecting coverage that meets their needs. More than 1 million are projected to enroll.

Here's a small selection of the law's other benefits to New Yorkers:

150,000 New Yorkers on Medicare had already saved money on their prescription drugs in the first nine months of 2012, with an average savings of almost $700 a person.

More than 5 million — people on Medicare and those with private coverage — received free preventive services like mammograms and "wellness" visits in 2011 alone.

1 million received rebates from health insurers who overcharged them in a recent year.

I'd say "Obamacare" is shaping up as a major plus for people in our state.